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Southern Cross, Page 14
Commentary
Thursday, February 25, 2021
Here comes Lent — again
If the season of Lent is here,
can springtime be far behind?
In some ways, Lent is like the
beginning of a new calendar
year. On New Year’s, we rush
to make resolutions, which res
olutions we quickly abandon.
But compared to the New Year,
we are not alone in making our
Lenten resolutions. We join the
Church universal in seeking
to make our Lenten journey
a serious dive into spiritual
renewal and preparation for
Easter.
I must confess that although
this is my umpteenth Lenten
journey, I still have to study
and remap my route every
year. Should I go negative and
give up stuff? What? Candy?
Desserts? Or, should I instead
go positive and do ascetical
things, like more frequent
prayer? Making daily Mass?
Christ himself outlines for us
the basic steps for the journey.
“When you pray... When you
give alms... When you fast, “
(Cf. Matthew 6). And in this
same text, for Ash Wednesday,
we are given not only given a
basic road map but the proper
motivation for the journey: “So
that your Father, who sees in
secret, will repay you.”
As for fasting, I have found
that it is more effective if it is
particular and focused. Over
the years, I have resolved, in
general, to give up speaking
ill about my fellow man. But
that soon evaporates. It is too
generic. Besides, I should con
trol my speech all year round.
Not just during Lent. To be
concrete is to be more effective.
For example, I will fast from
eating in between meals or fast
from an hour of television in
the evening. Pinning myself
down is better.
Prayer is the second area
of Lenten practice. Perhaps
adding a book of spiritual devo
tions could deepen my prayer
during Lent. Or, possibly tak
ing extra time to prayerfully
consider the daily readings for
Mass would put me in concert
with the Church Universal at
prayer. Whatever one’s prac
tice, these days call for a spe
cial lifting of our minds and
hearts to God - the very defini
tion of prayer.
And a third practice of Lent
is almsgiving or charity. This
practice could include the
donation of funds to a charity
of one’s choosing. It could also
include being kind to a partic
ular member of my family or a
coworker in the office, someone
who is especially bothersome to
me. As scripture says, almsgiv
ing covers a multitude of sins
(Cf. Luke 11:41).
These three practices stand
as a tripod in the spiritual life.
If any one of them is missing,
the practice will not stand
or be fruitful. This spiritual
tripod also fulfills the great
commandment: Love God with
all your heart and love your
neighbor as yourself. Prayer
addresses our relationship
with God, fasting focuses on
our own soul, and almsgiving
directs our attention to the
needs of our neighbor.
There are many spiritual
guides to send us in the right
direction. But we really do
have to make this a very per
sonal journey. Our Lenten
practice must indeed reflect
our personal path to a relation
ship with the Father, Son, and
Holy Spirit.
Whatever path we choose, it
is a preparation for the com
ing feast of Easter. Lent is a
preparation for the renewal
of our Baptismal Promises at
Easter. It is an opportunity
to take up our cross and so
die with Christ that we may
indeed rise with him.
One of the goals of our
Lenten practice is to address
our self-centeredness. As Paul
exhorts the Colossians: “...put
on the new self...in the image
of its creator”, (Colossians
3:10). The point is to put
Christ at the center of my life
and tamper down my ego’s
demands. That same ego was
very much on display in the
story of Adam and Eve’s temp
tation in the garden: “Eat this
fruit, and you will be like gods.”
We must focus on the new
Adam, who is Christ (Romans
5:14), God’s suffering servant.
There are two realities that
To be concrete is to
be more effective.
For example, I will
fast from eating in
between meals or
fast from an hour
of television in the
evening. Pinning
myself down is
better.
are front and center in this
holy season. The first of these
is the Catechumens group,
those who are “seeking the
truth”, seeking to be baptized,
seeking communion with our
church. For these seekers, this
Lent is their maiden voyage on
the journey of faith. The beau
tiful Rite of Election is a mile
stone on this journey. This spe
cial group is a living symbol of
how our faith must ha rpnpwed
each year. Catechumens are
a sign that Lent is a time of
discovery: What does my faith
mean? Who is at the center
of my faith? Catehumens are
reminders for the entire com
munity of the grace of our own
baptism.
The other reality that is front
and center in this holy season
is the Cross of Christ. The
cross holds the mystery of our
salvation. While Christ cruci
fied is folly to gentiles and a
scandal to the Jews, his cross
lifts up the wisdom and glory
of God. A wisdom this world
cannot grasp.
I look forward to this holy
season. To journey with Christ
in obedience and faith. As Sr.
Verna Holyhead, OSB writes
in her liturgical commentary,
Welcoming the Word, “...we
journey to God...as Christians
whose humanity is enveloped
in our only boast, the Cross
of Christ, (cf. Galatians 6:14)”.
Let us begin together.
Monsignor Fred J. Nuem is retired and
pastor emeritus of Sacred Heart Church,
Warner Robins.
All are Welcome to Three Zoom
Events of Reflection
Offered by Trinity Ministries
As part of the Diocese of Savannah’s Office of Evangelization, Trinity Ministries will be offering the
following times of reflection on Zoom over the next three months. All are invited to attend.
Saturday. February 27.2021. from 9:30 — 11:00 AM: presenter: Sr. Nancy Walsh. MSBT
Is Jesus with us in the Boat? It is an historic event of world-wide solidarity to have experienced the
pandemic together. What wisdom have we gained from this event? Life has its own daily struggles
but add in (ovid-19, protests for racial justice and political turmoil. Do we perish or grow? This
morning of reflection will connect our faith in Jesus with our concerns about suffering and hope, to
discover how Jesus is with us in this boat.
Thursday. March 18.2021. from 7:00 - 8:30 PM, presenter: Sr. Terry Bretthauer, MSBT
St. Joseph Comes to the Aid of the Universal Church! Pope Francis declared this as a year dedicated
to St. Joseph in his apostolic letter, Patris Corde: With a Father’s Heart, marking the 150" * 1 anniversa
ry of his being named patron of the Universal Church. “St Joseph reminds us that those who appear
hidden or in the shadows can play an incomparable role in the history of salvation.” What can this
man of creative courage teach us in the time of turmoil and unrest, akin to the times in which he
and Mary raised Jesus?
Saturday. April 24.2021 from 9:30 — 11:00 AM. presenter: Sr. Chris Wiltrakis. MSBT
United as One Family of Goi. Fratelli Tutti (Brothers and Sisters All) is Pope Francis' newest encyc
lical expanding the horizons of what is possible if we would embrace the challenges and hopes of
the Gospel. Many long for a return to “the way things were” after this pandemic. Yet Fratelli Tutti
inspires a vision of how we can live and work together in new ways as one human family of God.
To register, email trinityministriesdiosav@9mail.c0n) with your name, address, phone number and
email address. Your Zoom connection will be emailed to you shortly before the event.
For further information, call: 267 886-7557.
There is no fee. Donations are welcome but not required: Trinity Ministries, 112 Knob Hill Drive,
Warner Robins, GA 31088. These programs can also be given via Zoom and when safe to do so, in
person for specific parishes, school or diocesan staff, cursillo, or other groupings.
